Principal Engineer, Utility

The Principal Engineer – Utility Projects will be responsible for managing third parties in the design and engineering of large, utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage (BESS) projects in late-stage development, construction, and operation within the [Market] market. Responsibilities include engineer management, design reviews, contract document development and negotiation, procurement specification preparation, and other technical support activities. 

The Principal Project Engineer will join a team of utility-scale project execution engineers reporting to the [MARKET] market engineering manager and will serve as the lead project engineer for assigned projects. Additional responsibilities include mentoring and training other Engineers, directly supporting additional projects as a subject matter expert, driving innovation within the team, and driving institutional change within the wider organization. 

The successful candidate will have a depth of experience in the development, analysis, and design of utility scale, transmission interconnected PV systems and battery storage systems. Experience with other renewable technologies including wind, green hydrogen, nuclear, hydroelectric, or data center design is a plus. Excellent communication, task management, and planning skills are needed, in addition to technical depth and breadth.  

The position is at one of AES US Renewables & Power offices or remote and will include up to 25% travel to project locations and partner offices. 

Key Responsibilities 

Project Execution  

• Support EPC engagement by preparing contract exhibits and supporting RFI’s during contract negotiations. 

• Seek and evaluate proposals for engineering services. 

• Manage engineering consultants and Engineer Procure Construct (EPC) contractors through development of project construction drawings and support materials. 

• Perform technical project due diligence and project engineering design reviews to ensure compliance with company and industry standards.  

• Lead external and internal design review meetings.  

• Coordinate feedback from internal stakeholders and subject matter experts (SMEs) on design reviews. 

• Value engineer system designs to maximize reliability and reduce overall project cost. 

• Establish/review technical specifications of owner furnished equipment in coordination with Procurement and Sourcing. 

• Manage Procore RFIs and submittals and ensure complete and timely responses in coordination with other internal teams. 

• Technical support during construction including: 

• Respond to contractor requests for information (RFIs). 

• Support field quality assurance (QA)/quality control (QC). 

• Review test reports for compliance with contract requirements and technical standards. 

• Support the technical resolution of punch list items. 

• Support commissioning activities. 

• Support internal Owner’s Engineering team through financing activities. 

• Support Operations/Asset Management teams to resolve technical issues at operating sites. 

• Assist Development and Project Management teams with development of key financial inputs. 

• Develop and implement technical solutions to market specific requirements in coordination with market manager. 

Growth and Leadership 

• Contribute to process improvement initiatives for the execution of safe, quality, and high-performance projects. 

• Provide timely feedback on EPC and external engineer performance, and document lessons learned to influence internal process enhancements. 

• Mentor and educate team on changing trends in technology, best practices, code enforcement, and safety. 

• Direct mentorship of other Engineers on job requirements and technical acumen. 

• Support the team as a technical subject matter expert. 

• Support evaluation of emerging technologies and companies for the Approved Vendor List. 

Safety 

• Attend site safety walks and identify jobsite hazards.  

• Obtain and maintain safety training certifications (NFPA 70E, OSHA 10-hour, and CPR/first aid). 

• Lead by example. 

Skills and Qualifications 

Primary Qualifications 

• Undergraduate degree in engineering (electrical, mechanical, or civil preferred) or equivalent technical field. 

• 10+ years professional experience in energy system design, project or land development, and/or construction. Advanced degrees in a related field may be credited towards years of experience. 

• 5+ years of experience in project management, consulting, or as a project engineer. 

• Engineering design experience including either: 

• Electrical design experience of the generator side of utility scale PV and BESS projects 

• Stormwater and grading expertise with a thorough understanding of permitting processes and timelines. 

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including ability to successfully work cross-functionally across a large organization. 

• Self-starter with ability to work effectively in a remote and/or distributed team environment. 

• Ability to effectively manage third party consultants, vendors, and internal stakeholders. 

• Proficient with MS Office Suite. 

• Direct project experience with Procore. 

Plus Qualifications 

• Graduate degree in engineering 

• EIT or PE qualifications 

• NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification 

• Knowledge of BESS Fire Safety Codes and Standards 

• Experience with ETAP, SKM, PVsyst and other advanced modeling tools 

• Substation/High Voltage design experience 

• Structural/SCADA/commissioning engineering design experience 

• Experience with AutoCAD Civil3D 

• Fluency in Spanish or Portuguese